Rumor Has It: A Bad Boy Romantic Comedy (18 page)

He was probably right. I felt strangely disconnected from the events happening around me. Once the paramedics had finished checking me out, I leapt into Theo’s arms. I wrapped my arms around his waist so tightly that I’m not sure how he was able to breathe. He didn’t complain or push me away.

“I thought you were dead,” I said. “He told me he killed you.”

“I’m fine. Let’s get you out of here.”

Blindly, I let him lead me away.

22

We pulled up in front of a small house on the outskirts of town. The windows were shuttered; there didn’t appear to be anyone home.

“Who lives here?” I asked.

“Marian, my fiancée.”

“I thought she was…”

“She is. She didn’t have any family. She left everything to me when she died. It’s safe here. Quiet. No one will find you.”

Theo helped me out of the car and inside. The place was covered in dust; the furniture had blankets over it. It was clear no one had been here in a long time. Theo didn’t bother to turn on the light. He led me straight to the bedroom.

The mattress was bare. He pulled sheets and blankets out and started to make the bed. I tried to help him, but my hand shook so badly I could barely tuck the sheets in.

“Let me,” he said.

Once he’d finished, he unzipped my dress. His touch caught me off guard. Suddenly he was in front of me, his hands sliding around my backside to find the zipper. He pulled it down and the dress fell to my feet like a curtain.

I kicked aside what remained of my mangled, black leather dress and stood before Theo. I wasn’t wearing a bra. He kept his eyes on mine though. I should have felt lucky to have a guy who was so concerned for my well-being that he could ignore my nudity, but I couldn’t help feeling slighted. I wanted him to take me in his arms and make love to me until I forgot all about my abduction.

Theo was a gentleman though.

He helped me into bed and took off my heels, then he kicked off his boots and slid in bed beside me. I didn’t have to ask him to hold me. He pulled me to him as soon as we got in bed together. I rested my head on his chest and listened to his slow, steady heartbeat.

“Have you talked to Connor?” I asked. “He was shot.”

“I sent some of my guys to the hospital to keep an eye on him. Last I heard he was in surgery. They say his prognosis is good.”

“And Louis?”

“His injury wasn’t that severe. They’re going to keep him for a few days to make sure he doesn’t develop an infection, but I hear he’s going to be fine.”

It was a huge relief, but I still felt guilty. “They wouldn’t have gotten shot if it wasn’t for me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I should have known something like this would happen. This was my plan. I wanted to lure him out at the movie premiere. I thought he’d attack me. I never thought he’d put everyone’s life in danger. I should have let you arrest and interrogate Louis’s publicist. Now she’s dead. I know it sounds crazy considering she wanted to kill me, but I didn’t wish death on her. I mean, if it came down to me or her- I’m choosing me. But I’d rather see her in prison with John.”

To be totally honest, I was also disappointed she wouldn’t live to see her plans blow up in her face. Her scheming would be exposed in the press. Everyone would know she was in on it. People used to call her the star maker because she claimed she could take anyone from any background and turn them into an A-list celebrity.

She got drunk on power and now she’s dead. Maybe it wasn’t entirely my fault. Her greed was her undoing. I couldn’t help feeling unsatisfied though. She took the easy way out.

“You’re not to blame for anything that’s happened. You couldn’t have known. You can’t let yourself become consumed by guilt. Trust me, I know.”

It suddenly occurred to me that we were sleeping in his dead fiancée’s bed.

“Did the two of you live here together?”

“No. She bought this house herself, but never lived here. She was obsessed with work. She never wanted to come home. I didn’t see this place until after she died. It was full of furniture that had never been used, a bed that had never been slept in. I couldn’t bear to stay here. It’s like a tomb. Little reminders of her are everywhere even though she never lived here.”

“This must be weird for you to be here with me.” I rolled over and rested my head on the pillow beside him. “I shouldn’t be here. This isn’t right.”

“No, it’s fine.” I sat up in bed. Theo sat up beside me, blocking my exit. “It’s fine. We never lived here together. She never spent the night here. This was the place we were going to live once she retired and we settled down.”

“She wouldn’t want you to stay here with another girl.”

Theo looked around the dark room as if he expected her ghost to materialize.

“She’d want me to move on and be happy,” he said.

“You haven’t done that, though.”

He fell back down on the bed and ran his hands through his hair. “No, I haven’t. I couldn’t save her. I’ll never let myself forget that.”

“But you saved me. That has to count for something.”

He pulled me back down. I didn’t fight him. I curled up beside him. I got as close as I could to Theo. I embraced him tightly, as if I could steal some of his pain away with my touch. I ran my hand down his chest and across his thigh. His pants leg was wet with blood. I shot up in bed alarmed.

“You’re shot!”

“It’s fine. Just a flesh wound.”

“You sound like Connor. Is there a first aid kit?”

“In the bathroom.”

I grabbed it, then attempted to turn on the light. The switch turned, but the light didn’t come on.

“No electricity,” Theo replied.

I opened the drapes a crack, giving me a hint of the fading light.

“Lie down,” I ordered.

I unbuttoned Theo’s pants and pulled them off. I couldn’t help taking in the sight of his tight boxer briefs. They clung to his package tightly. The memory of his body on top of mine returned like a phantom. I could feel his soft skin against mine as he entered me. I swallowed hard and focused on the wound.

The gunshot passed through the left side of his thigh, exiting through the back. Connor would have called it a bullet graze, then he would have made fun of me for fussing over it.

I did my best to clean the wound. There were butterfly bandages used for stitches in the first aid kit. I read the instructions before applying them to Theo’s wound. In truth, I didn’t exactly know what I was doing. I’ve never cleaned and sutured a gunshot wound before.

“Look at you,” Theo said.

“What?”

“When I took this job, I never thought the spoiled princess actress would ever surprise me. And here you are the most surprising person I’ve ever met.”

I smiled shyly.

“You’re blushing,” he said.

“No, I’m not. Shut up.”

Theo laughed, then clutched his side. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

“Are you shot in the side?”

“No, just a little banged up.” He examined the butterfly stitches I’d applied to his wound. “Nice job. Have you done this before?”

“No, though I did once play a young doctor on a television medical drama. Of course, my part was limited to a three episode arc before I was killed by a patient hopped up on meth.”

Theo smiled. “So, you’re basically an expert then?” he said sarcastically.

“Basically.” I finished cleaning his leg. “Take off your shirt.”

Theo tried to remove it on his own, but I could see it caused him pain. I grabbed it and pulled it over his head. Light from the window cut across his chest; a shadow fell over his abs. They were tight and well-defined, a testament to the brutal strength he held.

I touched his chest, then ran my fingers over his ribs. He grabbed my wrist stopping me.

“Does that hurt?” I asked.

“No. It tickles.”

I smiled and pulled my hand away. He stared at me curiously. “This is a side of you I haven’t seen. I never would have pegged you as shy.”

“I’m not shy.”

I put everything back into the first aid kit. My hands still shook, but I wasn’t sure if it was because my nerves were shot or because Theo left me a bit breathless.

A sad thought occurred to me. Now that the stalker had been caught, Theo would leave. He’d fulfilled his promise to keep me safe.

I could feel his eyes on me. He was taking in the length of me, focusing on my chest.

“Come here,” he said. He pulled me to him. My breasts pressed against his chest tightly. I thought he would kiss me, but he only stared deeply into my eyes. “You’re safe now.”

“Yeah, but you’re leaving.”

“Where am I going?” he replied, as if this was news to him.

“You said you’d only stay as long as there was a threat. You caught him, or as Connor would say,
the threat has been neutralized
.”

“I thought I might stick around a while.”

“You will?” I perked up. I hated how naked my eagerness was. Desperation is not a cute look on anyone.

“Well, just until I can guarantee your security.”

I frowned, but it was better than nothing. He lifted my chin. Before I knew what was happening, his mouth was on mine. I felt his tongue slip across my lips. I leaned into him; my breasts smashed against his chest.

One hand ran through my hair, pulling me to him. The other rested on the small of my back.

I ran my fingers down his abs and between his legs. I felt him grow hard beneath my hand.

I moaned as his tongue explored my mouth. He turned me over onto my back. I went limp beneath him; I was emotionally and physically exhausted. Theo handled me gently. His soft lips kissed my neck and nibbled my ear. He drifted lower, kissing my breasts. His tongue snaked around my nipple before leaving a trail of kisses down my stomach. He kissed the insides of my thighs, my knees and calves. He worked his way down to my feet and kissed my toes.

Theo covered every inch of me in kisses.

With every touch of his lips my fear diminished. The heat racing across my skin chased away the day’s events. When his lips found purchase between my legs, the day’s nightmare faded from memory. For one sweet moment, Theo and I were the only two people in the world.

I ran my fingers through his hair as his tongue explored between my legs. I groaned and arched my back. He ran his tongue over my clit, then sucked.

I grabbed the headboard, as if it would keep me anchored to the Earth. Then Theo was above me, spreading my legs. I gasped for air. The anticipation was too much.

“Are you okay?” he said. His voice was hoarse. I could feel his hard cock against the inside of my thigh.

“Don’t stop,” I gasped.

I didn’t have to ask twice. He eased his cock into me slowly. I hissed as if I was in pain. Theo inhaled sharply. I could see a question in his eyes. He was scared he might hurt me.

“Don’t stop,” I begged.

I never wanted the moment to end. He moved slowly, focusing his thrust high. He hit my g-spot perfectly.

I started to tremble. It was like there was a poison inside me. Fame, money, being stalked and kidnapped, all of it had corrupted me in ways I didn’t fully understand. With every thrust, Theo drove a little more of the poison out of me.

It would be a long time before I ever felt really comfortable in public again, but lying in bed with Theo on top of me felt like the beginning of my recovery.

Our bodies moved as one as he drove his cock deeper.

“Don’t leave me,” I moaned. I meant to say, ‘Don’t stop…’ Or did I? I didn’t want Theo to leave me. It was the desperate truth.

I’m used to men offering me money, gifts and adoration for just a brief moment with me, a taste of my affection. Theo didn’t try to buy my love. More importantly he wasn’t in love with Jamie Kelly the star. He saw the real me.

I gasped as Theo started to pick up the pace. His thrusts took on a demanding speed. I bit his shoulder. I felt like an animal. I wanted to draw blood, then lick his wounds.

I squeezed him between my thighs, milking his cock for every drop. Theo couldn’t hold out any longer. Neither could I. We came together.

Theo collapsed at my side. I rubbed my thighs together, feeling his cum spill out of me. He breathed heavily, wincing as he touched his leg. It hadn’t occurred to me that he was too injured to fuck me. Selfish, I know. I couldn’t help myself.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine.”

“Would you tell me if you weren’t okay?”

He glanced at me, then back down at his leg. I took it as a no.

Theo’s cell phone started to ring. He attempted to get out of bed, but I pushed him back down.

“Don’t move. You shouldn’t exert yourself any more than you already have,” I said with a smile.

I found his cell phone in his pants pocket. When I unaddressed Theo, I’d tossed them across the room. They’d landed behind a chair. I felt around in the dark on hands and knees before finding the phone. I recognized Shonda’s number.

“It’s Shonda,” I said to Theo.

I answered the phone.

“Jamie! Are you okay? Where are you?”

I could hear people talking in the background. She sounded like she was in the middle of a party. “I’m fine. Where are you?”